The Political Economy of Land and Chieftaincy Disputes in Contemporary Africa: Examples from Central Nigeria

Post-colonial Africa has witnessed intermittent and endemic upsurge in chieftaincy disputes, which obviously raises variety of security challenges, which are major setbacks to national development. However, any serious study or analyses of chieftaincy disputes in Africa must necessarily be situated within the context of the post-colonial political economy of most African states. Historically, before the advent of colonial rule, land in Africa had no much economic value, however, with the integration of Africa into the world capitalists system during the colonial period, land which was in most cases under the custodian of traditional rulers became a valuable commodity. Besides, the admixture of colonial and post-colonial native systems produced a cumulous of contradictions in the transfer of land and chieftaincy rights and this resulted in complex and sensitive disputes, sometimes capable of paralysing national security. What are the problems associated with land tenure system and what are its intersections with chieftaincy disputes in Nigeria? How can we possibly explain these disputes in the development of Nigeria? This paper attempts to explore and interrogate the political economy of chieftaincy disputes in Nigeria in general and central Nigeria in particular. Drawing on some lessons from north central Nigeria, the paper would show how these disputes have impacted negatively on the region and suggests the way forward. Our analysis shall be essentially historical, employing both descriptive narrative and empirical tools in analysing the subject matter.